Tonight
by NinjaS-killsXIII
Summary: Danny takes a late night walk a month after a fight with Sam. Just a guy and his iPod. Turns out Sam has the same idea. Wonder what's gonna happen... *insert eye roll*


**Hey! So this is my first fanfic. Not my first piece of writing, but first fanfic. So let me know how you like it. It was weird...real weird writing this because I've never written anything even remotely close to this genre. I'm hoping to expand my writing capabilities. Shabam! If it's cheesy, or whatevs feel free to comment as to why. I can always use some friendly advice to improve my writing. Just, like I said, _friendly_. Us authors have sensitive egos (wink, wink).**

** Anywho case you get confused, _italics _in quotes means someones thinking, italics without are the song lyrics, and I think that's about it.**

**Oh! Also before you read this I recommend you listen to the song Tonight by FM Static. One because it relates to the story. Two because it's a great song. I first thought of this story line listening to the song, and thinking back on all the late night walks I've taken over the years. I was trying to capture that feeling of getting lost in a song. Ya know when the right song comes on and it's just perfect at that moment? That's what I was going for. Hard to describe but hopefully I pulled it off. Let me know how I did on that as well. Case you haven't noticed I like to talk so if you enjoy people who talk you're in for a good time. If not you'll be fine ;)**

**I do not own Danny Phantom, Tonight by FM Static, or the bands Skillet, Crossfade, or Pillar. And I'm sensing I won't for any future stories either. Peace!**

* * *

_"Why?...Why do you have to be so stupid Fenton?"_

The silent thought echoed through his head, and he continued staring up at the ceiling. Shadows crept into the bedroom, cast by the crescent moon hovering just outside. For once the night was silent. There wasn't a single ghost to be found in Amity Park. Not even the Box Ghost. _"Great, the one night I could actually use the distraction,"_ He thought. By this point the fifteen year-old should've been fast asleep. It was three in the morning after all. But tonight Danny Fenton's mind was far from sleep. Tonight…tonight was exactly one month since the fight.

The previous day hadn't exactly helped either. It was just one of those days. Lancer had sprung a pop quiz on their class that morning, not to mention Skulker making an untimely appearance during his last period. When Danny had finally reached his house later that day, sleep had sounded so welcoming. After several hours of trying and failing to do homework, Danny finally relented and crawled into bed around 10PM. But after five hours of doing nothing but stare at the ceiling, sleep continued to elude the halfa.

He glanced over at his clock and groaned when he saw the time. _"Who am I kidding?"_ He thought, conceding the fact sleep just wasn't gonna happen. The blankets rustled slightly as he sat up in bed. He ran a hand through his onyx-black hair and closed his eyes. All he could think about was Sam.

* * *

It was only the third day of school when it happened. It was lunch break and three of them had been sitting at their usual table in the cafeteria. Tucker was gobbling down a cheeseburger, fully loaded with bacon, sausage, and half a bottle of ketchup. Meanwhile Sam was picking through a salad and Danny was staring blankly his food. He had been forced to take the school's main course that day, and to be quite honest, he didn't have a clue what it was. As usual, while Danny was busy contemplating the mysteries of Casper High's food program, Sam and Tucker were arguing about the pros and cons of meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet. So, basically it was a normal, uneventful day…until the cafeteria wall exploded inward and a particularly nasty, snake-like ghost floated out of the dust and rubble. Then it turned into a normal, _eventful_ day. The fight started off pretty much like they always did: panic ensued among the students, Lancer made a reference to "Midsummer Night's Dream" before ducking into a closet, and Danny slid under their table to make the switch to his alter-ego.

The only difference was, after a particularly bad pun by Danny, and an eye roll by Sam, said ghost wasn't very amused. It whipped its tail around, trying to catch Danny off guard. The Phantom dodged sideways in the air, missing the attack by inches. What it didn't miss however, were several cafeteria tables. Then suddenly, a high-pitched scream cut through the air. Danny spun around towards the direction of the scream. _"What the?"_ He thought. Sam and Tucker were on the other side of the room so who could… _"Ah crap."_

Paulina. Who else? Instead of running with the rest of Casper High's student body, she had stayed to cheer on her favorite ghost-boy. Only now, she was standing, well currently fainting, right in the path of the flying lunch tables. Danny shot towards her, hoping he was faster than your average ghost-powered lunch table.

On the other side of the cafeteria Sam and Tucker had managed to subdue the specter, who was now enjoying an all-expenses-paid stay inside the Fenton Thermos. Sam looked up just in time to see the cafeteria tables crash into the wall where Paulina had been standing, sending up a shower of debris. She tensed involuntarily, "Danny!" she yelled, worry in her eyes. There wasn't any answer. She starting running towards tables, now cracked and covered in pieces of the wall. _"No, no, no he's okay, he's gotta be okay. Seriously, it'd take more than a stupid table take him out right?...right?" _She thought. "Danny!" She yelled frantically. Suddenly the dust began to settle, revealing a familiar, albeit ruffled, shock of white hair. Sam breathed in a sigh of relief. _"God, Danny you gotta stop doing tha-"_ Her eyes widened slightly, _"You have got to be freaking…"_ Tucker slid to a halt beside her, a cocky smirk on his face. "Nother day, 'nother dollar huh Sam?" He chuckled, "That ghost didn't stand a chance. Um…Sam?" He tilted his head slightly, trying to get a better view of her face. He gulped. Her eyebrows had dropped into a deadly glare and there was loathing, bordering on fury burning in those violet eyes. She let out a disgusted snort, before spinning on her heel and storming out of the cafeteria. "What the heck?" Tucker asked incredulously. He swung his gaze back to Danny, "What's her prob…oh." Tucker shook his head and dropped it into his palm. "Man, you are in _so_ much trouble."

_Later that night_

"Sam, seriously, what's the big deal?" Danny asked, throwing his arms out in confusion.

"The big deal? The big deal is you were having a full on make-out session with Paulina in the middle of the cafeteria, that's what! You were practically sucking her face off!" Sam yelled, throwing her arms out as well, frustration and betrayal written all over her face. Danny could practically see the steam radiating from her.

After the incident in the cafeteria Sam had disappeared. Both Danny and Tucker had looked all over for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The school closed early that day due to the ghost attack, despite much protest from Lancer. Tucker had to head home right away, but promised Danny he would be the first to know if he heard from Sam. Danny, however, had immediately taken off towards her house. He found her in their gym down in the basement, angrily wailing on a punching bag. Danny was beginning to wonder if he'd be next.

"She kissed me! What was I supposed to do?"

"Oh I don't know kick her to the curb? Not kiss her back?" Sam closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them again Danny noticed something new in her eyes. The anger was still there but there was something else also. Was that hurt? "While you were busy making out with that shallow, self-centered little witch, I was wondering if you were still breathing! But I guess you were doing even better than that." Sam crossed her arms in front of her chest, daring him to make the next move. Danny glared right back. He was growing angrier by the minute and couldn't hold it back anymore.

"Why are you so upset about this Sam? Every time I even look at Paulina, or even Valerie, you roll your eyes and drop some sarcastic remark about her, or me. What is your problem!?" His voice kept rising steadily, "Can't I look at a single girl without you getting up in my face!? God, will you get off my back Sam?!"

Sam slowly dropped her head, midnight hair covering her face. Danny saw her body begin to shake and her hands clench to fists. She was breathing heavily through her nose, as if she was physically trying to contain something. Then Danny heard her whisper, so quiet he almost missed it, "Get. Out."

Danny reached his hand towards her, "Sam, I-". Her head shot up. He flinched and pulled his hand back. "I said. GET. OUT!" Sam yelled, her hand pointing towards the door. Danny took one last look in her eyes. There was nothing but fury. No sign of the supposed hurt he had seen before. He turned his back towards her, turned intangible, and without a word, vanished through the ceiling.

* * *

The light from a passing car flashed through Danny's window, bringing him back to the here and now. He slowly shook his head, trying to rid himself of the memory, and reached for his phone, meaning to check if anyone else was awake at this god-forsaken hour. Before he could reach the phone, something caught his eye. On the nightstand next to it was a picture of Sam, Tucker, and himself. _Their _picture. Danny and Tucker on either side of Sam, while she threw her arms over their shoulders. Big grins plastered on all three of their faces. A slight smile tugged at his lips, then quickly faded. The three of them hadn't been together like that since the fight. He had seen Sam a couple times at school, but they hadn't spoken. She glanced at him, he glanced at her. Then she would just...roll her eyes, snort, and walk off. At first he had done the same (minus the snort), but now all he wanted was forgiveness and to forget it ever happened.

And Tucker? He sighed. Poor Tuck. As hard as things were for Danny and Sam, they were just as bad for Tucker. He couldn't stand seeing his two best friends like this. He had tried to patch things up, but nothing seemed to work. Tucker had even planned a scary movie marathon over at his place, inviting both of them in secret. Only problem was the minute they spotted each other the atmosphere turned to ice. After a few miserable attempts by Tucker to start a conversation and many a frosty glare the two of them left: Sam angrily declaring something about her parents wanting her home early that night, and Danny muttering about a supposed ghost spotted across town. Since then, Danny and Tucker had hung out a few times on their own, but it just wasn't the same. Whether they were playing Doom, ghost hunting, or even doing homework together, at some point an awkward silence would appear, and they both knew they were thinking about Sam.

"_How am I gonna fix this?"_ Danny wondered. Once again his bedroom walls remained stoically silent. He rolled his eyes, wincing slightly at the very Sam-like motion. _"The question was rhetorical, but still an answer would be nice,"_ He thought sarcastically. Realizing there were no answers, or sleep, to be found here, he grabbed his iPod and threw on a dark jacket and a pair of jeans. Danny phased through his bedroom wall, almost not caring if anyone saw him. Floating down to the sidewalk, he slipped in one ear bud and hit shuffle. The night was painfully clear. The air was crisp and cold, slicing into his bones. _"Sam…I'm sorry."_ He thought, wishing there was some way she could hear him, _"I don't know what I was thinking. If there was anything I could do to fix this I would, but you won't even talk to me. Not that I blame you…I miss you Sam,"_ A single tear rolled down his cheek, _"Why did it take this much for me to realize how much you mean to me? I-I love you. Not Paulina, not Valerie…you. And now I blew it,"_ He kicked a rock off the sidewalk, scuffing his red converse. Not that he cared,_ "Even if you could hear me right now, I don't know if you'd forgive me. All I know is I want you back...I feel like a piece of me is missing and I don't know if I'll ever get it back…I'm so, so sorry Sam."_

A soft breeze flowed gently down the street, there and then gone, replaced by the sound of a car driving past somewhere in the distance. A new rhythm slowly mixed in with the subtle whisper of the wind. Blue eyes crept from their view of the cracked sidewalk as the new sounds gradually worked their way out of the background.

_I wish you were here with me…tonight._

Danny smiled sadly as he recognized the song: Tonight by FM Static. _"Perfect,"_ He thought. Tears glistened in his eyes as he started to sing, the empty street his only audience.

_I remember the days we spent together were not enough, and you still feel like dreaming except we always woke up. Never thought not having you here now would hurt so much._

_Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up. I need your loving hands to come and pick me up. And every night I miss you I can just look up, and know the stars are holding you, holding you, holding you tonight._

There wasn't a single streetlight lit, leaving him with a clear view of the sky. His hands sunk back into the warmth of his pockets as he gazed up at the stars. What he would give to take their place. Because he knew that a little ways across town, Sam was sound asleep. Blankets wrapped around her still form, and high above, the stars were watching over her; keeping her safe.

* * *

Sam opened her window, the cold night air making her shiver slightly. She slipped out of her bedroom and shimmied down the rain gutter right next to the window. Her black combat boots hit the grass with a muffled thump. She listened carefully. Nothing. Not that she expected to hear anything. She had snuck out more times than she could remember and her parents hadn't caught on yet. Still, better safe than sorry. Especially tonight. Right now Sam didn't think she could handle anything else. She had barely slept the night before and tonight wasn't much of an improvement. After an hour of lying in bed she managed to doze off for a couple hours. But the relief was short-lived, and once she woke up, Sam knew that was all the sleep the night had to offer her. It wasn't that she was overly tired. Being a creature of the night, along with ghost hunting, meant she usually didn't get much sleep anyways. Lately, it had become more of an escape. A distraction. And if she was lucky, filled with dreams of good times gone past. Memories of days when it didn't matter how many ghosts invaded the school that day, how much homework Lancer decided to assign on a whim, or that the city was tearing down more trees to build unneeded condos. When it didn't matter if the world itself was collapsing around her, because no matter what happened, she had two best friends who would always be there. The three of them could survive anything.

Anything except each other. Sam rolled her eyes, remembering the events a month earlier in the cafeteria. "Mmph," she growled, low in her throat, _"Everything had been going just fine. Then _she _had to screw everything up!"_ Sam glowered at the town around her, wishing there were less street lights to make the night as black as her mood. _"But noooo, I have to live in the pompous, rich part of town where every last nook and cranny has to be lit up brighter than the freakin' Fourth of July! Least I can still see the stars."_ She flipped up the hood on her tight, black sweatshirt. Her hands reached into its pockets, scrabbling around for what she hoped was still in there from the night before. After a second, she found it. She glanced down briefly at the purple iPod, just long enough to hit play. She wandered through the streets, past mansions and dark yards. Barking dogs and white garages. A heavy heart and dim hopes for the future. Skillet, Crossfade, and Pillar marched their way through her ear drums, adding to the soundtrack of the night. Eventually she made it out of her neighborhood, past downtown, and found herself nearing the park. The whole night she had been covering the pain building inside. Trying to block it out with her lingering anger. But the instant she lifted her eyes to rolling hills and autumn trees she knew so well, it all faded away, leaving nothing but a wish to go back to the way things were. Sure she had been mad, no, _pissed_ at Danny for a while. I mean, this fight had been a long time coming. Now though? Now all she wanted was her best friend. Although she'd never admit it, this month had been one of the toughest of her life. No Danny, barely any Tucker. She missed her boys…she missed Danny. She sighed, giving in to the longing feeling in her chest.

"_He may be a clueless moron…but he's my clueless moron,"_ She tried to roll her eyes, but for once she just couldn't quite pull it off, _"Just admit it Sam,"_ She thought grudgingly, _"You miss him."_

"_Well of course I miss him,"_ She snapped back, arguing with herself, _"He's my best friend!"_

"_Aaaaand?"_

"_And what?!"_

"_What else?"_

The question hung in her mind, begging for an answer, cutting off Sam's attempts to avoid it. She sighed again, trying to roll her eyes again. Failing again. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized this could be a problem if she kept this up. _"And…and I may, or may not, like, or maybe, love him. Whatever. You happy now?"_ She thought, folding her arms and glaring up at the stars.

As if the music could sense the change, the rough guitar and angry lyrics that had controlled the night 'till that point relented. Sam blinked, slowly coming back to her surroundings, the music seeping into her consciousness.

_-And every night I miss you, I can just look up, and know the stars are holding you, holding you, holding you tonight._

"_What the? I-I."_

The damn broke. All the emotions she'd been trying to keep in check burst. The last bits of resentment drowning in the tide. Sam grabbed onto the black spikes of the park fence for support, trying not to break down completely. Her shoulders shook slightly, quiet sobs whispering through the night. The waters slowly calmed, leaving nothing but a dull ache in her chest. She relinquished her hold on the fence, feeling as if she was about to fall. She reached into her pocket, feeling around for her iPod. The backlight reflected off her amethyst eyes, a few tears leftover, as she pulled back the music. Sam wandered into the park, letting her feet take her where they may.

_"Where are you Danny? Please-please come back. I forgive you…where are you?"_

_I remember the time you told me about when you were eight. And all those things you said that just couldn't wait. I remember the car you were last seen in and the games we would play, all the times we spilt our coffees and stayed out way too late._

The nostalgic melody gently held her in cool September air. She pleaded to the heavens, her voice growing from a whisper along with the music. The stars shone out, like bright diamonds in a midnight sea. Every detail in crystal clarity.

_When it hurts so bad sometimes not having you hear-I sing-_

Sam shakily pulled in a breath, but just before she could start the chorus…another voice sang out with the wind. Different voice, same song. A voice driven with a need for forgiveness that may never come. A voice she had heard nearly every day. A voice she knew and loved, oh so much…

* * *

Danny lost himself in the music. Every note and every line. The abandoned streets and leaves in the wind. All the memories of FM Static and all the memories of Danny Fenton. Until colors burst behind his eyes and they swept together, mixing, gushing, swirling into a torrent of emotion. He sang with a quiet intensity built on raw hope. Hope that maybe if he sang with enough passion, he might slip into her dreams: somehow resurrecting their broken friendship. It was as if the darkened town and nature itself joined in. Setting a heavy backdrop in shades of gray, a singular owl gliding along eddies and rhythm in the air, and unknown forces pulling him towards his fate. Danny felt his hands clench so tight he thought they might draw blood. Flecks of green gleamed amidst the cobalt blue in his eyes. Danny lowered his gaze to meet the weatherworn park gate. _"Someone up there either loves me or hates me."_ He thought, with a small, sad smile. The silky-sharp pain in his chest amplified, begging for release. He gladly gave it form, slipping back into the music. There was only here. There was only now. Only the soft grass underfoot. Only the sweet night sky overhead. Eternity in a moment.

_Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up. I need your loving hands to come and pick me up._

Almost lost in forever. To the point where he thought nothing, but felt everything. There was no logic, no conscious understanding, only emotion and music. Every sense was wide open and crystal clear. And amidst the trance was Danny. Singing to the stars and the one they held.

_And every night I miss you I can just look up, and know the stars are holding you, holding you, holding you tonight._

* * *

Sam did a double take. _"Wait-what?...was that?...No it-"_ Her ears strained for just a hint of the voice. She tried to convince herself it was just her imagination playing tricks on her. What if it wasn't who she thought it was? What was the point of adding to the grief by wishing for what could never be? But her heart overruled her mind. It had to be. _Needed_ to be true. Sam raced toward the top of the hill, coming to a standstill next to its lone tree. She leaned out into the night, like a sailor hanging from the mast, searching desperately for home on the horizon.

There it was! That same voice Sam thought she'd heard.

_"Please, please-let it-let it be…"_

Suddenly the weight of the past month came crashing down on her shoulders. It all seemed too much to keeping standing. Sam collapsed to her knees, on the edge between the shadows cast by the tree's remaining leaves and the light from a universe away. The voice had faded away with the end of the chorus. With only one last chorus to go, Sam looked up, sending a final, desperate prayer skyward. Time seemed to go too slow and too fast all at once. Then, a second before the finale, Sam took a struggling breath.

"…Danny?"

* * *

His vision was blurry. The trance was almost gone. Although the hurt and loneliness were tenfold, it was almost a good hurt. Like beam of pure emotion. At least in that state he'd been able to escape his own thoughts. Now it was fading. The emptiness was returning and soon the song would be over. With the closing line, Danny knew he would be heading home. Sleep would be unreachable just like before. He could see himself sitting on the edge of his bed, blankets forgotten, and the picture from his nightstand resting in his hands. But the morning would come too quickly. The rising sun would not bring hope, but the promise of a day without her. He didn't think he had the strength to face it.

Nonetheless he would see the music through to the end. The break between choruses ended. Danny let out the first word, but something stopped him. His brows furrowed. There was something…off. What was it? He was drawing a blank.

A second went by. Still nothing.

_ Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up._

Then it slapped him in the face like a bucket of ice cold water in the morning. The song was still going! Not just in his headphones, but outside as well. There was another voice!

Wait. He knew that voice. He had never heard it like this. The openness of desperation and hope was a side he had never heard, but he definitely recognized that voice! It was-

"Sam!" He yelled. Danny sprinted through the park. The cold air and branches seared his arms and face, but he couldn't care in the slightest. Finally he came out of the trees. He skidded to a halt, head whipping back and forth searching for her voice.

_ I need your loving hands to come and pick me up._

There! Danny eyes fell on a hill to his left, locking onto a figure near the top.

"Sam!"

_"I'm coming Sam."_

_ And every night I miss you I can just look up, and know the stars are holding you, holding you, holding you tonight._

* * *

Sam was nearing the end of the chorus…and still no Danny.

_"It wasn't him. Why? Why couldn't it be him…just once."_

She felt her body giving up completely. She hit the ground. But just when Sam was sure she didn't have the will to get back up, she felt a pair of hands pick her up.

* * *

Danny's hands slid under Sam's arms, pulling her up to a kneeling position. She looked up. Violet met blue. Not a word was said out loud, but more than could ever be expressed through words, a world of understanding, passed between them in that split second. The next thing he knew Danny was hugging her, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm sorry Sam. I'm so, so sorry," He managed between sobs.

He felt Sam pull him even tighter, "Me too Danny…Me too."

For several minutes they stayed exactly where they were, simply reveling in the feeling of being so close again. For the first time in what felt like forever Danny felt at home. There in the cold, silent park, he finally felt like things might turn out okay. Finally, he managed to pull away from her. Light reflected off the tear stains running down her cheeks. Danny blocked out everything else around him, focusing on Sam's eyes.

"Forgive me?"

Sam let out a small smile, "Course. I want my best friend back."

Danny smiled and pulled her back into a hug, "I'm never leaving again."

Sam chuckled into his shoulder, "I'll never let you." She gave it a sec. Then, "But if you kiss her again, I will rip your arms off."

He sniffled, then let out a small laugh, "Deal."

"Sam?"

"Ya?"

He leaned back slightly, just enough to see her face. He cupped a hand over her cheek, wiping away the last remaining tear, "Sam, I…I love you."

Sam looked right back at him. She paused for a moment, then her eyes started twinkling mischievously. Man, how he had missed that look.

"I know," She smirked, "I love you too." His eyes widened slightly before he burst into a full-blown grin, lighting up the night like burst of sunshine in the dark. She rolled her eyes, "Clueless," She muttered.

His grin faltered for a second, "What?"

Sam sighed sarcastically and rolled her eyes again, "Just come here."

They kissed. It was simple. It was clean. It, was perfect. Eventually, they pulled back. Danny wrapped his arms around her. Sam looked up at Danny and felt a warm glow inside, content in the fact they were finally together again. She couldn't wait 'till tomorrow to see the look on Tucker's face when they walked into school, chatting away like normal.

They sat there in the grass, gazing up at the stars, neither feeling the need to head back. Danny thought back to when he first came to the park that night, _'Someone up there either loves me or hates me.'_

He smiled up at the stars, _"Definitely loves me."_


End file.
